Refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator including a first inner case defining a freezing compartment and a second inner case defining a refrigerating compartment. The first inner case and the second inner case are formed with rupture portions upon injection molding of the first and second inner cases. The rupture portions may be cut away to communicate the first inner case and the second inner case with each other, enabling use of the inner cases having a common configuration.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No.2009-0093133, filed on Sep. 30, 2009 in the Korean Intellectual PropertyOffice, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

Embodiments relate to an inner case of a refrigerator defining a storagecompartment therein.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, refrigerators are devised to keep food fresh at a lowtemperature by supplying low-temperature cold air into a storagecompartment in which the food is stored. A refrigerator includes arefrigerating compartment to keep food at a temperature slightly abovefreezing, and a freezing compartment to keep food at a freezingtemperature or less.

Refrigerators may be classified into single cooler type refrigerators,and dual cooler type refrigerators. In a single cooler typerefrigerator, a single cooler is mounted in a freezing compartment, sothat temperatures of the freezing compartment and a refrigeratingcompartment are controlled as cold air in the freezing compartment isintroduced into the refrigerating compartment. In a dual cooler typerefrigerator, coolers are mounted individually in a freezing compartmentand a refrigerating compartment, so that temperatures of the freezingcompartment and the refrigerating compartment are controlledindependently.

According to whether a refrigerator is the single cooler type or dualcooler type, a refrigerator body may be configured such that a freezingcompartment and a refrigerating compartment thereof are defined byrespective inner cases, and these inner cases have been conventionallyfabricated using separate molds.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is an aspect to provide a refrigerator having an innercase having a common configuration regardless of whether therefrigerator is of single cooler type or dual cooler type.

Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in thedescription which follows and, in part, will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

In accordance with one aspect, a refrigerator includes a first innercase to define a freezing compartment, and a second inner case to definea refrigerating compartment, wherein the first inner case and the secondinner case are formed via injection molding and are providedrespectively with rupture portions, the rupture portions being cut awayto communicate the first and second inner cases with each other.

The first inner case may include a seating portion indented from a rearsurface thereof, so that a first cooler to cool the freezing compartmentis installed in the seating portion.

The second inner case may include a guide arranged in a lower regionthereof, so that a second cooler to cool the refrigerating compartmentis installed to the guide.

The guide may be integrally formed with the second inner case.

The rupture portions of the first inner case may be located at upper andlower locations of a sidewall of the seating portion.

The rupture portions of the second inner case may be located at asidewall of the second inner case at positions corresponding to therupture portions of the first inner case.

The guide may include a pair of ribs protruding from opposite sides of arear surface of the second inner case.

The first and second inner cases may communicate with each other as therupture portions are cut away, and the first inner case may be providedwith a first cooler to adjust temperatures of the freezing compartmentand the refrigerating compartment.

The refrigerator may further include first and second coolers providedrespectively in the first and second inner cases to adjust temperaturesof the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, whereinthe rupture portions are kept without cutting away.

In accordance with another aspect, a refrigerator includes first andsecond inner cases to define separate storage compartments, an outercase coupled to the first and second inner cases to enclose the firstand second inner cases and defining an outer appearance of therefrigerator, and a door to open or close the storage compartments,wherein the first and second inner cases are provided with ruptureportions, the rupture portions being cut away to communicate the firstand second inner cases with each other when the storage compartments arecooled using a single cooler, but being kept without cutting away whenthe separate storage compartments are cooled respectively using separatecoolers.

The rupture portions may be formed upon injection molding of the firstand second inner cases.

The rupture portions may be cut away to communicate the first and secondinner cases with each other, and the first inner case may be providedwith a first cooler to cool the separate storage compartments.

The refrigerator may further include a freezing-compartment cold-airduct having a cold air discharge hole through which cold air generatedfrom the first cooler is discharged, the freezing-compartment cold-airduct being configured to cover the first cooler.

The rupture portions may be kept without cutting away, and first andsecond coolers may be provided to cool the separate storage compartmentsrespectively.

The refrigerator may further include a freezing-compartment cold-airduct to cover the first cooler provided in the first inner case, and arefrigerating-compartment cold-air duct to cover the second coolerprovided in the second inner case.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readilyappreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a schematicconfiguration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a first inner case defining afreezing compartment of the refrigerator according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a second inner case defining arefrigerating compartment of the refrigerator according to theembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a refrigeratorusing a single cooler according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a refrigeratorusing two coolers according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to a refrigerator according to theembodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elementsthroughout.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a schematicconfiguration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is aperspective view illustrating a first inner case defining a freezingcompartment of the refrigerator according to the embodiment, and FIG. 3is a perspective view illustrating a second inner case defining arefrigerating compartment of the refrigerator according to theembodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator according to the embodimentincludes an outer case 10, inner cases 20 and 30, and a pair of doors40. The outer case 10 contains a pair of separate accommodation spaceswith an intermediate partition interposed therebetween. The inner cases20 and 30 are configured to be inserted into the respectiveaccommodation spaces of the outer case 10 and are spaced apart from eachother by a predetermined distance. The pair of doors 40 serves to openor close storage compartments 21 and 31 respectively. The storagecompartments 21 and 31 may include a freezing compartment 21 and arefrigerating compartment 31.

The outer case 10 defines an outer experience of the refrigerator, andmay be formed by bending a metal panel. The outer case 10 may take theform of a box having an open front surface.

The inner cases 20 and 30 may include a first inner case 20 and a secondinner case 30, each of which is injection molded using a syntheticresin, such as plastic. The first case 20 defines an inner wall of thefreezing compartment 21 and the second case 30 defines an inner wall ofthe refrigerating compartment 31.

An insulating wall may be provided between the outer case 10 and theinner cases 20 and 30 via injection molding of urethane liquid foam. Inaddition, an intermediate partition may be formed between the firstinner case 20 and the second inner case 30, which are arranged parallelto each other, via injection molding of urethane liquid foam.

The first inner case 20 and the second inner case 30 may be integrallyor separately formed via injection molding.

Each of the first and second inner cases 20 and 30 may include abox-shaped inner case body 22 having a front opening and a flange 24protruding outward from a rim of the front opening of the inner casebody 22.

The inner case body 22 may define the inner wall of each storagecompartment 21 or 31 of the refrigerator, and the flange 24 may comeinto contact with a front rim of the outer case 10.

The flange 24 may be formed, along a rim of the inner case body 22, witha hot pipe installation groove 25. The installation groove 25 isindented rearward from a surface of the flange 24, so that a hot pipe(not shown) to prevent generation of dew at the flange 24 is fitted intothe installation groove 25.

The doors 40 may be rotatably coupled to one side of the outer case 10to open or close the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigeratingcompartment 31 defined by the first inner case 20 and the second innercase 30 respectively.

Although the first inner case 20 and the second inner case 30 may beseparately injection molded according to a method to controltemperatures of the storage compartments 21 and 31, i.e. according towhether the refrigerator uses a single cooler or two coolers to adjusttemperatures of the storage compartments 21 and 31, in the presentembodiment, the inner cases 20 and 30 may have a common configurationregardless of the number of coolers used to cool the storagecompartments 21 and 31.

Specifically, if the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigeratingcompartment 31 are cooled by use of a single cooler, the first andsecond inner cases 20 and 30 may have configurations for circulation ofcold air. If the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigeratingcompartment 31 are cooled by use of two coolers, the first and secondinner cases 20 and 30 may have independent spaces.

For this, at the stage of injection molding of the first and secondinner cases 20 and 30, the first and second inner cases 20 and 30 may beprovided with rupture portions 27 and 37 that are adapted to be cut awayso as to communicate the first and second inner cases 20 and 30 witheach other.

The rupture portions 27 and 37 include first rupture portions 27 formedat the first inner case 20 and second rupture portions 37 formed at thesecond inner case 30.

The rupture portions 27 and 37 may be defined by tear lines, to assureeasy punching during the injection molding of the inner cases 20 and 30.

Referring to FIG. 2, the first inner case 20 defining the freezingcompartment 21 may be formed with a seating portion 23 indented outwardfrom a rear surface thereof, to assure easy installation of a firstcooler 71 (see FIG. 4) and a cold air duct 50 (see FIG. 4), the firstcooler 71 and the cold air duct 50 being provided to cool the freezingcompartment 21. The first rupture portions 27 may be formed at asidewall of the seating portion 23 and may be cut away via punching.

The first rupture portions 27 are provided at upper and lower locationsof the sidewall of the seating portion 23 of the first inner case 20,and function as cold air circulating holes to circulate interior coldair of the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating compartment 31when they are cut away from the inner case 20.

More specifically, an upper one of the first rupture portions 27 mayfunction as a cold air supply hole to supply interior cold air of thefreezing compartment 21 into the refrigerating compartment 31 when it iscut away, and a lower one of the first rupture portions 27 may functionas a cold air recovery hole to return the interior cold air of therefrigerating compartment 31 to the first cooler 71 when it is cut away.

Referring to FIG. 3, the second rupture portions 37 defining therefrigerating compartment 31 may be provided at a sidewall of the secondinner case 30 at positions corresponding to the first rupture portions27 of the first inner case 20.

Specifically, the second rupture portions 37 are provided at positionsopposite the upper and lower first rupture portions 27. Once the secondrupture portions 37 are cut away, the first and second inner cases 20and 30 communicate with each other through the first and second ruptureportions 27.

An upper one of the second rupture portions 37 may function as a coldair inlet hole to introduce interior cold air of the freezingcompartment 21 into the refrigerating compartment 31 when it is cutaway, and a lower one of the second rupture portions 37 may function asa cold air outlet hole to discharge the cold air from the refrigeratingcompartment 31 into the freezing compartment 21 when it is cut away.

The second inner case 20 may be formed at a lower position of a rearsurface thereof with guides 33, to which a second cooler 73 (see FIG. 5)may be selectively mounted.

The guides 33 may be formed of ribs protruding from opposite sides ofthe second inner case 30. The guides 33 may be integrally formed withthe second inner case 30, or may be separately prefabricated and then,coupled to the second inner case 30.

More specifically, when the freezing compartment 21 and therefrigerating compartment 31 are cooled by use of a single cooler, thefirst cooler 71 is installed only in the seating portion 23 of the firstinner case 30. On the other hand, when the freezing compartment 21 andthe refrigerating compartment 31 are cooled by use of two coolers, thefirst cooler 71 is installed in the seating portion 23 of the firstinner case 30, and the second cooler 73 is mounted to the guides 23 ofthe second inner case 30.

With the above described configuration in which the first inner case 20and the second inner case 30 are formed via injection molding, in thecase where the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating compartment31 are cooled by use of a single cooler, the first and second ruptureportions 27 and 37 are cut away to communicate the freezing compartment21 and the refrigerating compartment 31 with each other. On the otherhand, in the case where the freezing compartment 21 and therefrigerating compartment 31 are independently cooled by use of twocoolers, it may be unnecessary to cut away the first and second ruptureportions 27 and 37, allowing use of the first and second inner cases 20and 30 having a common configuration.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a refrigeratorusing a single cooler according to an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the case of a refrigerator in which temperaturesof the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating compartment 31 areadjusted using the single cooler 71, the first and second ruptureportions 27 and 37 of the first and second inner cases 20 and 30 may becut away to communicate the first and second inner cases 20 and 30 witheach other, prior to mounting the first and second inner cases 20 and 30into the refrigerator.

Specifically, the first cooler 71 is located in a lower region of thefirst inner case 20 defining the freezing compartment 21, and is coveredwith the freezing-compartment cold-air duct 50.

The freezing-compartment cold-air duct 50 may be provided, e.g., withthe first cooler 71 to generate cold air, a flow path (not shown) alongwhich cold air generated from the first cooler 71 moves, and a blowingfan (not shown) to blow the cold air generated from the first cooler 71to cold air discharge holes 51.

The cold air generated from the first cooler 71 is delivered through thefreezing-compartment cold-air duct 50 to the upper first rupture portion27 that has been cut away. After the cold air is introduced into arefrigerating-compartment cold-air duct 60 through the upper secondrupture portion 37 that has been cut away to correspond to the upperfirst rupture portion 27, the cold air may be discharged into therefrigerating compartment 31 through cold air discharge holes 61.

The cold air, which has been used to cool the refrigerating compartment31, may be returned to the first cooler 71 through the lower firstrupture portion 27 of the first inner case 20 that has been cut away tocorrespond to the lower second rupture portion 37 of the second innercase 30.

In the present embodiment, instead of mounting the second cooler 73 tothe guides 33 of the second inner case 30, a drawer type storagecontainer 75 may be slidably coupled to the guides 33 so as to be pulledout or pushed into the second inner case 30.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 78 represents shelves of the storagecompartments 21 and 31, to support food thereon.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the interior of a refrigeratorusing two coolers according to an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the case of a refrigerator in which temperaturesof the freezing compartment 21 and the refrigerating compartment 31 areadjusted using the two coolers 71 and 73, the first and second innercases 20 and 30 are mounted into the first and second inner cases 20 and30 without cutting away the first and second rupture portions 27 and 37.

The first cooler 71 may be located in a lower region of the first innercase 20 defining the freezing compartment 21, and the second cooler 73may be supported by the guides 33 in a lower region of the second innercase 30.

The first and second inner cases 20 and 30 may be provided with thefreezing-compartment cold-air duct 50 and the refrigerating-compartmentcold-air duct 60, which cover front surfaces of the first and secondcoolers 71 and 73 respectively.

The freezing-compartment cold-air duct 50 and therefrigerating-compartment cold-air duct 60 may be provided respectivelywith flow paths (not shown) along which cold air moves, and blowing fans(not shown) to blow the cold air to the cold air discharge holes 51 and61 of the cold air ducts 50 and 60.

With the above described configuration, temperature of the freezingcompartment 21 and the refrigerating compartment 31 may be adjusted viaoperation of the first and second coolers 71 and 73 that are providedrespectively in independent spaces.

Accordingly, with use of the rupture portions 27 and 37 according to theembodiment, the first and second inner cases 20 and 30 may have a commonconfiguration without a separate configuration change regardless ofwhether the refrigerator includes a single cooler or two coolers.

That is, it may be unnecessary to prepare separate molds to formdifferent inner cases by injection molding according to whether arefrigerator includes a single cooler or two coolers, resulting inremarkable reduction in manufacturing costs.

As apparent from the above description, a refrigerator according to theembodiment includes an inner case having a common configurationregardless of whether the refrigerator is of single cooler type or dualcooler type.

Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it would beappreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made inthese embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit ofthe invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and theirequivalents.

1. A refrigerator comprising: a first inner case to define a freezing compartment; and a second inner case to define a refrigerating compartment, wherein the first inner case and the second inner case are formed via injection molding and are provided respectively with rupture portions, the rupture portions being cut away to communicate the first and second inner cases with each other.
 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first inner case includes a seating portion indented from a rear surface thereof, so that a first cooler to cool the freezing compartment is installed in the seating portion.
 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the second inner case includes a guide arranged in a lower region thereof, so that a second cooler to cool the refrigerating compartment is installed to the guide.
 4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the guide is integrally formed with the second inner case.
 5. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the rupture portions of the first inner case are located at upper and lower locations of a sidewall of the seating portion.
 6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the rupture portions of the second inner case are located at a sidewall of the second inner case at positions corresponding to the rupture portions of the first inner case.
 7. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the guide includes a pair of ribs protruding from opposite sides of a rear surface of the second inner case.
 8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second inner cases communicate with each other as the rupture portions are cut away, and the first inner case is provided with a first cooler to adjust temperatures of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment.
 9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising first and second coolers provided respectively in the first and second inner cases to adjust temperatures of the freezing compartment and the refrigerating compartment, wherein the rupture portions are kept without cutting away.
 10. A refrigerator comprising first and second inner cases to define separate storage compartments, an outer case coupled to the first and second inner cases to enclose the first and second inner cases and defining an outer appearance of the refrigerator, and a door to open or close the storage compartments, wherein the first and second inner cases are provided with rupture portions, the rupture portions being cut away to communicate the first and second inner cases with each other when the storage compartments are cooled using a single cooler, but being kept without cutting away when the separate storage compartments are cooled respectively using separate coolers.
 11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the rupture portions are formed upon injection molding of the first and second inner cases.
 12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the rupture portions are cut away to communicate the first and second inner cases with each other, and the first inner case is provided with a first cooler to cool the separate storage compartments.
 13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, further comprising a freezing-compartment cold-air duct having a cold air discharge hole through which cold air generated from the first cooler is discharged, the freezing-compartment cold-air duct being configured to cover the first cooler.
 14. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the rupture portions are kept without cutting away, and first and second coolers are provided to cool the separate storage compartments respectively.
 15. The refrigerator according to claim 14, further comprising; a freezing-compartment cold-air duct to cover the first cooler provided in the first inner case; and a refrigerating-compartment cold-air duct to cover the second cooler provided in the second inner case.
 16. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein the rupture portions are defined by tear lines in the first and second inner cases. 